Wednesday Spotlight - Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a very important nutrient. First, promotes calcium absorption which is necessary not only for bones but also for teeth. D also regulates the immune system and helps maintain muscle strength. Many other possible benefits of D include: reduction in risk of multiple sclerosis and possibly cancer (namely breast, colon and prostate), brain health, alleviation of asthmatic episodes, reduction in risk of rheumatoid arthritis for women and protection against radiation damage.

The sun is a great (and free!) source of Vitamin D. But how much sun is enough?

Experts believe that as little as 15 minutes of sun exposure on our face and arms twice a week will give us the Vitamin D we need. However, really think about your day. How much time do you actually spend in the sun each day? Let's assume you work a regular 8-to-5. You eat breakfast and get ready for work. You get in your car. Park at work (maybe there is a minute or two of sun if you have an open lot and you walk to the building). Lunch you probably run somewhere quick in your car (many of us never getting out of the car the whole trip) or eat at your desk. Drive back home and change into comfortable clothes. Watch some tv, check emails, make dinner and prepare for bed. Did you realize you went the whole day without any sun exposure?
Well, a couple days a week try to take 20 minutes and walk a mile outside in the morning or when you get home and avoid the shade! You could even take a small break at work and walk around your building a couple times. That's all it takes to get some good quality vitamin D. But most of us don't even think about it.

If you leave for work before the sun comes up, can't get a break all day and get home after the sun goes to sleep, well, don't lose hope. Adding a couple choice foods to your daily food routine will get you there. Salmon and sardines are excellent sources of vitamin D, and a 3.5 ounce serving of either will meet your needs (depending on your age). Three ounces of tuna will meet a young adult's daily recommended dose of D, and meet half of most older adults' needs. A cup of cow's milk will also provide half of a young adult's (under 50 years old) daily recommended amount of Vitamin D. Finally, cod liver oil, while not the most popular choice, packs 2 to 7 times of an adult's daily intake recommendation in one tablespoon. Cod liver oil also has some controversy about it's overall health benefits and should be researched first. If you are vegan, your best bet is time in the sun and supplements if necessary.

So, for good order's sake, how much do you need? Again, that depends on age. Adults under 50 years of age should aim for at least 200 international units (IUs) of Vitamin D a day. Between 50 and 70 years old, you need twice that, or 400 IUs. Seniors should get at least 700 IUs per day.

Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency? Vegans who do not take supplements or eat enough Vitamin D-fortified foods. People who live in the northern part of the world (where sunshine is limited November through March), people with darker skin (darker skin generates less Vitamin D than light) and people over 50 years of age.

So, get some sun and eat some fish and drink your raw milk! Some experts now think that people benefit from as much as 2000 IU of Vitamin D a day. I aim for 1000 IUs. Raw milk after my workout, salmon or sardines more days than not during the week, and sun in the garden, at the market and when I walk the dog. Are any of these things you can incorporate into your lifestyle?